Partners: Salina Business and Professional Women; American Association of University Women (AAUW); National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

The League of Women Voters of Salina held a public forum featuring federal judge Deanell Reece Tacha, a Kansas native who now serves on the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, at their annual membership meeting to discuss diversity in the Kansas courts.

19th Amendment Anniversary Celebration: League of Women Voters of Wichita co-sponsored a program on the need for diversity in the Kansas judiciary, featured on KCPT-TV, featuring Linda Weir-Enegren, Founder, Rainbows United and Roots and Wings; Rev. Dr. M Catherine Northrup, J.D., First Presbyterian Church, Senior Pastor; and Nola Foulston, Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Thanks to six months of persuasion from the League of Women Voters of Kansas, judicial vacancy announcements and nominating commission rosters were made public on the Kansas Judicial Branch website in July 2010, significantly increasing the transparency and accessibility of the nominating process. The League strongly recommended this change as a step to increase transparency in the judicial nominating process in Kansas. The League made its recommendation using as a best practice the web page of the Colorado courts.

Location: Capital City School, Topeka Public School Complex, Topeka, Kansas

Partners: Topeka/Shawnee County school district

League of Women Voters of Topeka/Shawnee County President Gwen Elliott gave a presentation on the judicial diversity initiative to the School of Social Work, including workers from preschool through high school. Since reaching minority students is a goal of school social workers, the group received information and materials enthusiastically. Ms. Elliott distributed 33 packets to school employees and spouses including a minority practicing attorney and an attorney who does research for the Kansas Supreme Court and the Kansas Court of Appeals.

The League of Women Voters of Wichita, lead by Co-President Denae Lyons, provided exposure to the education campaign at a local Wichita parade by dressing in judicial robes with signs reading “Vote in Women Judges!"

The League of Women Voters of Topeka/Shawnee County held a special Tuesday Topics meeting featuring Mark Dupree, Johnson County Assistant Public Defender, who is also a member of the Kansas Bar Association's Diversity Committee. He spoke about why diversity is important to an effective judiciary.

Event: Meeting with Riley County Commission Members/League of Women Voters of Kansas State Council meeting

The League of Women Voters of Manhattan/Riley County focused the State Council meeting of the Leagues of Kansas on promoting a more diverse Kansas judiciary, through a program entitled "So You Want to Be a Judge? Adding Diversity to Kansas’ Fair and Impartial Courts." This effort included a public forum on judicial diversity--featuring Kansas Supreme Court Justice Marla Luckert, Justice Carol Beier, and Court of Appeals Judge Henry Green--followed by advocacy visits to the governor and legislature, along with a press release to educate the public on judicial diversity.